Need to Buy Reading Glasses?
Presbyopia happens as we age. It's normal.
Presbyopia causes the natural lenses of your eyes to lose some of their flexibility and that loss in flexibility means that small objects are harder to see and small print is harder to read. The easy fix for this is reading glasses. Picking the right pair means making some decisions.
The following are considerations when buying reading glasses:
Ready-made or Custom-made?
Ready-made reading glasses can be purchased online and at many stores. Ready-made glasses most often come in only single vision lens; however, there are ready-made tinted reading glasses with UV protection and one tinted variety that has a nonprescription upper half for distance viewing and a reading boost in the lower half. Ready-made glasses are convenient if you constantly remove your reading glasses and forget where you left them because they are cheap enough to buy in bulk so you can put pairs in different rooms of your house, in your car, office briefcase, purse, backpack, etc.
Custom-made glasses are made based on your prescription and each lens can have a different prescription and the lenses can be bi- or trifocal or progressive, as well as single vision. If you have a different prescription in each eye, using reading glasses with the same prescription in both lenses can cause eye strain.
Frames
Metal frames are the most durable and come in a variety of metals such as titanium, titanium alloys, and stainless steel.
Plastic frames come in a variety of colors and are budget-friendly and stylish.
Protective Coatings
If you are investing in custom-made reading glasses you may want to add anti-scratch, anti-reflective, and photochromic lenses.
The anti-scratch coating will improve the durability of your lenses.
The anti-reflective coating will reduce glare.
The photochromic coated lenses protect your eyes from UV light by darkening automatically in sunlight.
Comprehensive Eye Exam
A comprehensive eye exam will screen you for eye diseases as well as give you an exact prescription to correct your reading vision. If your vision in each eye is different or if you have an astigmatism, your doctor will be able to prescribe reading glasses that correct each eye and that have optical centers aligned to your pupils.
Prescription Readers
Most of our patients require prescription glasses, especially if you require glasses or contact lenses to see at distance. While over-the-counter glasses are inexpensive, most patients prefer having the exact prescription they need to see clearly at distance and near.
We look forward to seeing you. If you have questions or want to make an appointment, please give us a call.